


Losing Grip

by riverdale_imagines



Series: Sweet Pea [6]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Death, F/M, Hospital, Reader Death, Violence, southside serpents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 13:13:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17550350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverdale_imagines/pseuds/riverdale_imagines
Summary: Summary: After you find a missing Sweet Pea, something unexpected happens.Word Count: 3.3k





	Losing Grip

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: violence, stabbing/blood, death

It had been nearly four hours since you last talked to Sweet Pea, your legs barely holding you as they shook from running so fast. You thought something was wrong when he didn’t pick up your call, but your concern quickly escalated when Fangs told you that not only was he missing but he was in deep trouble. That was thirty minutes ago before you started racing around the Southside in an attempt to locate your long term boyfriend, mentally cursing the dangerous situations of which the Southside Serpents often find themselves in. You didn’t want to admit it, but you weren’t just looking for Sweet Pea in order to save  _him_ , bur rather to save  **yourself** \- you had been alone from the moment your father had passed away to when your mother walked out on you at your ripe age of seventeen, ashamed that you decided to follow your father’s path and become a Serpent yourself. If it wasn’t for the undeniable desire you felt Sweet Pea, which he happily reciprocated, you would not have any family in this world, no one to love you with every last breath and fiber of their being. That is why he had to be saved so you and Sweet Pea could continue to live your life together, the one that both of you deserved. You finally slowed down for a breather, and you knew it was dangerous, but you hesitantly found yourself entering Ghoulie territory against the words of your fellow Serpents.

“ _You gotta promise not to go too far from the trailer park, god only knows that what happened to Sweet Pea could happen to one of us next. You gotta promise me, Y/N. He told me to keep you safe and I stand by that boy with all I’ve got_.  _Don’t go into the forest and don’t go into Ghoulie land. **Promise**   **me!**_ ”

“ _I promise, FP._ ”

Sometimes promises needed breaking, especially when there was a life on the line. You treaded carefully as you made your way through forbidden land, using the now darkness of the night to your advantage when hiding among the shadows to dodge the eyesight of any Ghoulies. You were currently deciding whether you should call Fangs and Toni for some sort of back up when you suddenly heard a familiar laugh, cut off by pained grunts and groans.  _Sweet Pea_. Between the buildings across the road you noticed a barely lit alleyway with dancing shadows, their movements in rhythm with the sounds you had heard. Your fists balled as your sides as you ran over, eyebrows furrowed out of anger, your heart swelling with concern. You stopped to see a Ghoulie pinning your boyfriend against the dirty brick wall toward the end of the alley, his tall body now hunched over as kicks and punches were aimed at his face and stomach. “Is that all you got, big guy? I knew Ghoulies weren’t as tough as you make yourselves outta be, but this is just pathetic.” Sweet Pea laughed again, his voice however laced with a daring tone. His sarcasm earnt him another blow to the stomach before you made your way over to the two, roughly grasping at the Ghoulie’s jacket and pulling him to the side. “Get the hell away from him!” You growled, preparing to throw your fist in his face, but the second your hand collided with his nose he pushed you across the alley, your head hitting the wall behind you.

“Y/N!” Sweet Pea’s voice rang in your head as one hand held against the now throbbing pain in your skull, your other hand pushing you from the ground. The Ghoulie spat in front of you as he continued to have a weakened Sweet Pea pinned against the cold brick, a malicious chuckle falling from his lips after muttering something along the lines of ‘ _serpent_   _slut_ ’. Your boyfriend looked exhausted, but surprisingly managed a punch of his own to the Ghoulie’s jaw, hissing out “Don’t you fucking call her that, you prick!” A fire ignited in the enemy’s eyes and you could sense that this little torture session was about to escalate. You could feel a dizzy sensation as you lent opposite Sweets and the Ghoulie, trying to shake it off when you pushed yourself toward them. You could see the Ghoulie now grasping Sweets’ neck and holding him up from the ground, the sounds of struggling breaths only fueling your anger further. The Ghoulie’s spare hand was out of sight but you could see his arm move toward Sweet Pea and you thought that he was about to suffer another pounding to the stomach. Your Serpent instincts kicked in when you launched between them, hoping to take one for the team. 

 **That’s when** your eyes bulged from your head, your jaw dropping, body falling back against Sweets’. You heard the clinking as something fell against the ground and the sound of footsteps retreating from your location.  **That’s when** you saw darkness consuming your surroundings and the faint taste of metal littering inside your mouth. It wasn’t too long before your hold enclosed around your body and you suddenly felt it… your shirt damp, your stomach hurting, warm liquid decorating your arms. “Y/N! Baby, can you hear me?Come on, just say something, babygirl, say something!” Sweet Pea yelled at you as your knees buckled and you collapsed against his frame, him suddenly finding strength as he held you upright and against his chest.  **That’s when**  you could only could hear his words but you weren’t listening to them as they became a fuzzy white noise in your ears. Your eyes flicked down to your arms at the feeling of them saturated -  _ **that’s when it hit you**_. They were dyed red by your own blood after the punch you thought the Ghoulie was going to take turned into a stab, and the murder weapon now laid at your feet, also covered in matching scarlet liquid.  _He stabbed you and then he ran_.

Everything went dark.

When your eyes slowly opened, they were greeted by the flashing of white lights above you as you were being wheeled through Riverdale Hospital, the voices of nurses muffled as you gazed at the faces staring back down to you. One of your hands felt warmer than the other, causing you to look down and notice Sweet Pea squeezing it tightly. His eyes were red and swollen, puffy and dampened from the hundreds of tears that have fell - but he had that smile, that damn happy  _relieved_  smile of his, and it made you think that things were going to be okay. “Sir we need to get you looked at.” One of the nurses spoke to him, the tone of her voice sounding as if she has already said it multiple of times and he has continued to ignore her. “I’m not leaving Y/N, not again. She needs me. I have to stay with her, please!” “She’s going into surgery, you can see her when she gets out but for now it’s our duty to also attend to you and your injuries.” Reluctantly, he pulled your hand up to give you a small reassuring kiss and fell back as you continued toward the operating theater, his heart breaking when you disappeared through the door.

“How’d you go, kid?” FP asked as Sweet Pea sat beside him in the waiting room, his head instantly falling into his hands as he let out a loud groan. He didn’t care if people were looking - he only cared about whether you were okay or not. He took a moment to control his breathing, and when he finally settled down, he looked across to the older Serpent, “Three broken ribs, internal bruising. Nothing I haven’t fucking had before.” FP offered a sympathetic smile as his hand gently rubbed Sweets’ back, his voice attempting to stay calm, “Listen, Sweet Pea… I know it’s cliche to say but Y/N is a strong girl. I have seen her go through so much, ever since she was a wild little toddler, and she has managed to survive this long…” “You said you would protect her when I’m not around! You promised me! And now… now she’s fighting for her damn life… and it’s my fault. That should be me in there! I should be the one dying, not her! Not precious Y/N!” He retorted with urgency and pain, his voice high as he worked himself up again. FP let out a loud sigh and placed his hand on Sweet Pea’s shoulder, grasping it firmly, “I tried, but you know her better than anyone else. She’s headstrong, and god forbid anyone that tries to stand in her way. She loves you and people… they do a lot of crazy shit for love. Son, you can’t go blaming yourself when none of this is your fault, okay?” 

Jughead burst through the waiting room doors, Toni and Fangs hot on his heels as they ran toward FP and Sweets. Toni instantly jumped at Sweets and engulfed him in a tight embrace, tears falling from her own eyes as she felt him sob into her shoulder. Fangs sat by his side and threw an arm around his back, pulling him in for a side hug. The three of them stayed silent for a moment as FP was explaining to Jughead about what had happened, the beanie wearing boy now shaking his head out of distress. “…..And then I got the call from Sweet Pea, saying something had happened. That there was spilt blood. So I drove over and picked them up. It was bad, Jug. There was a lot of it.” FP tried to speak quietly and away from Sweets, eventually talking about how he was already planning for some Serpents to take the Ghoulie down. Minutes turned to hours as they all continued to wait; FP and Jughead now on the phone to the other Serpents setting up a revenge plan, Fangs kicking the vending machine out of stress for your survival and because his potato chip bag got stuck inside, Toni draped across the waiting room chairs as she held Sweet Pea’s hand. And Sweet Pea, still sitting in the same seat, all emotion washed from him as he stared intently at the floor, flashing back to seeing your body slumped across his and covered in a rain of bright red.

“Y/N Y/L/N.” A surgeon said, Sweets finally standing up with curious eyes, FP by his side. “Y/N has now been escorted from the operating theatre and is placed in a private room. Her injuries were much more complicated than we anticipated, the puncture wound was deep and it happened to cause a lot of internal damage to her organs. The loss of blood is also substantial, we were actually shocked that she lasted long enough to be operated on.” The surgeon gulped back as he looked at the heartbroken faces in front of him, before clearing his throat and continuing on from reading his notes, “She also suffered a head injury which has left her in a concussed state. The good news is that she survived the surgery let alone this long. The bad news, however… I apologize but it I am very doubtful that she will remain in a good condition.” His last sentence fell quiet among the ears of your friends, the color drained from each one of them as if life had been sucked from the room.

Sweet Pea started shaking his head, muttering a ‘ _no no no_ ’ under his breath before launching at the surgeon, his hands grasping the collar of his shirt, “You have to do something, there’s no way you’re gonna let her die. If she dies, you die! You hear me!” He started to scream, FP and Fangs instantly pulling him back. “I’m so sorry, he’s just upset. Y/N is his girlfriend.” Toni said sincerely to the medical professional, receiving a nod in response, “It’s no problem, it happens more than you think. But I  **am** apologetic. I really am. A nurse will come inform you when Y/N is ready for visitors.” And with that last note, the surgeon left, his heart broken at the sight of Sweet Pea. Not long had passed before they were called in, however your boyfriend refused to be the first to see you. He knew that the moment his eyes laid on your lifeless body, he would completely lose his mind. Fangs stayed in the waiting room with him as the other three left, his hand giving Sweets’ knee a reassuring squeeze. When they returned a while later, Toni smiled at him, leaning down to kiss his forehead, “Go on, string bean. You can’t stay out here forever.”

Sweet Pea cringed when he heard the beeping of your machinery, his eyes squeezing shut the further it sunk into his brain. He stood at the back of the room as Fangs took the seat at your bedside, your eyes only opened the slightest as they gazed at him, a smile managing between your cheeks. “Hey there handsome” Your voice croaked as your spoke to your friend, Fangs wiping away his stray tears with the back of his hand before grasping yours and squeezing. “Y/N, still as charming as ever. How’re you feeling?” You let out a small groan as you tried to turn your body toward him, the pain running through your blood and stinging your insides. “I’ve felt better. Is Sweet Pea okay? Say yes… please say yes…” You croaked once more, the sound of his name making Sweets’ ears perk up. Fangs looked across the room at him and smiled, his hand motioning for him to come over before he stood from the chair, “He’s still an idiot, but you can ask him yourself.” Your friend said before announcing that he’ll give you two some privacy.

“Babygirl…” He started, your favorite nickname making you giggle. He smiled at you before leaning down to kiss the tip of your nose, his hand enclosing around yours. You both sat in silence before you suddenly released a small sob, shaking your head, “I am so sorry… they told me not to go…. but if I didn’t, you would have died. You are worth way more than death. You’re going to live a long beautiful life. “But you won’t.” He interrupted, the tears rolling down his cheeks matching yours. “I know, Pea.” You looked away from him for a small moment as you shifted in your bed, making room by your side. “Come closer to me. I need to feel you.” Your words became whispers, but he could still hear them, causing him to gently lay by your side and pull you into his chest. He kissed the top of your head and sighed, “You are a strong, beautiful woman. And I love you. We’re only 21, we’re still young, baby. There’s gotta be a miracle out there for us.”

Two days had passed and your condition was deteriorating. Sweet Pea never left your side, even convincing the hospital staff to allow him to sleep in the visitors’s chair or in your hospital bed with you so that you remained comfortable. Every time a nurse walked in to give you your check up, their smiles would grow more sympathetic. They knew what was coming, and so did you. “Sweets…” You said one night, his focus shifting from your room’s tv to you as he turned it off, nodding as an indication for you to continue.

“I don’t want to die here.”

“Baby, I won’t let you die…”

“But I’m going to.”

He shook his head and gently grasped the sides of your face, his thumbs grazing along the skin under your eyes, “I can’t have you die. I’ll lose my shit if you do… and it’ll be because of me. I’ll never forgive myself.” He said as he lent down to place a kiss over your lips. You happily kissed him back before settling your forehead into his, “I forgive you. You didn’t do anything, but for the sake of you forgiving yourself… just know that  _ **I forgive you**_ , Sweet Pea.” He gulped back and nodded his head, pulling away to see your beautiful face. “Sweets… I need you to do me a favor. You won’t like it, but if you love me as much as I know you do, then you’ll do this for me.”

As much as he didn’t want to, Sweet Pea found himself snatching a key card from a distracted nurse. Your words still ringing in his head from the favor you asked of him, “ _Take me somewhere beautiful to die_.” He took a deep breath as he stood outside your door, knowing what was to come, the same thing that the nurses and you also felt. He shoved the card in his pocket and walked toward you as you finished writing letters to your friends, each one personalized with memories and words of wisdom - more importantly, your way of saying goodbye. Sweet Pea reluctantly removed the machinery from you and unplugged them, quickly gathering you in his arms before their alarms started to beep. Your legs swung over one arm as the other held your back, your own around his neck and head on his shoulder. You were much lighter than what he remembered - you were frail, falling apart at the seams. The pain was still present but started to subside as your body started to shut down. Sweet Pea dodged the medical staff and used the key card as he took you up to the hospital’s roof. You remained in his arms as he sat you both down, the sky scattered with stars. It was breathtaking. “Definitely beautiful.” You whispered, as you lent into Sweet Pea, feeling the dampness of his shirt. He was crying, and you soon were as well.

“I love you, my sweet sweet boy.”

You said as your forehead lent against his.

He sighed out heavily, “I love you too, my angel. Forever my angel.”

He lent down to give you what would be known as your  _last kiss_. It was not hungry nor was it urgent, but it was kind and passionate. Warm and soft. Gentle and forgiving. He held you so close to him but even closer when he felt you slip away. Your lips stopped reacting with his as your mouth fell ajar, your eyes remained closed. The arms around his neck fell limp, as did your body. The remaining color in your skin turned pale and soon, the coldness form the wind around him as soon reciprocated through your lifeless limbs. Sweet Pea let his head fall back as he let out a blood curling scream, surely the whole of Riverdale would be able to hear him. He was in so much pain that he couldn’t even bring himself to cry it away. Sweet Pea had always lived in a darkened world, and despite your own darkness, you managed to be each others light. Your smile gave a dull day it’s color. Your laugh could cure any bad mood. Your touch was the most soothing thing after something terrible. But most of all, your love… your love made him believe anything was possible. Your life together was possible. Your future.  _You_. He could never thanks the heavens more than he already has for having you in his life. But now, he must return his angel to her heaven.

His screaming and wailing caught the attention of nurses downstairs as they ran to the roof, one of them pulling Sweet Pea into a hug as the rest tended to your body. As his face buried in their shoulder, he promised to himself that he would catch the son of a bitch Ghoulie who did this to you, and he would not stop.. he would not sleep, eat, breathe again…  until he avenged your honor. And god only help anybody who got in his way.


End file.
